D&D 5E What is the perfect Fighter/Barbarian multi-class balance?

[sla034]

I wanted to try multi-classing for the first time and tried to read up on each class and see which could fit a barbarian and the rest of my party. I found two classes i thought could be cool with barbarian fighter and paladin. Then i saw my character sheet and 10 charisma on a paladin barbarian multi-class might be a little weak. So then i thought hm ye I'll go fighter and built a background around that. So summed up i thought barb fighter could be cool to roleplay and had abilities that fit well together.

Most of my experience around DND has just been listening to critical role and dungeons and daddies.

 

[Charlaquin]

I wanted to try multi-classing for the first time and tried to read up on each class and see which could fit a barbarian and the rest of my party. I found two classes i thought could be cool with barbarian fighter and paladin. Then i saw my character sheet and 10 charisma on a paladin barbarian multi-class might be a little weak. So then i thought hm ye I'll go fighter and built a background around that. So summed up i thought barb fighter could be cool to roleplay and had abilities that fit well together.

Ah, ok. So it sounds like your goal is to play a multiclass character, and you envisioned the character as a Barbarian first and then thought Fighter would be a good combination with it. In that case, I think getting levels of both classes under your belt quickly would be a high priority so you get to experience a multiclass character right out the gate. Maybe in that case, start with Barbarian and switch to Fighter right away. Maybe something Barbarian 1, Fighter 1-5 or 1-6, then back to Barbarian for 2-4, then Fighter up to 11, and finally Barbarian up to 9, if the game lasts that long. That would end up delaying your first ASI and Extra Attack, but only for 1 level. Again, it’s all about what your priorities are.

 

[sla034]

Ah, ok. So it sounds like your goal is to play a multiclass character, and you envisioned the character as a Barbarian first and then thought Fighter would be a good combination with it. In that case, I think getting levels of both classes under your belt quickly would be a high priority so you get to experience a multiclass character right out the gate. Maybe in that case, start with Barbarian and switch to Fighter right away. Maybe something Barbarian 1, Fighter 1-5 or 1-6, then back to Barbarian for 2-4, then Fighter 7-11, and finally Barbarian 5-9, if the game lasts that long. That would end up delaying your first ASI and Extra Attack, but only for 1 level. Again, it’s all about what your priorities are

Ah, ok. So it sounds like your goal is to play a multiclass character, and you envisioned the character as a Barbarian first and then thought Fighter would be a good combination with it. In that case, I think getting levels of both classes under your belt quickly would be a high priority so you get to experience a multiclass character right out the gate. Maybe in that case, start with Barbarian and switch to Fighter right away. Maybe something Barbarian 1, Fighter 1-5 or 1-6, then back to Barbarian for 2-4, then Fighter up to 11, and finally Barbarian up to 9, if the game lasts that long. That would end up delaying your first ASI and Extra Attack, but only for 1 level. Again, it’s all about what your priorities are.

That sounds really smart. Thank you very very much for the help. My priorities are just to kinda explore multi-classing but still being able to survive my dms encounters.

 

[Charlaquin]

That sounds really smart. Thank you very very much for the help. My priorities are just to kinda explore multi-classing but still being able to survive my dms encounters.

Yeah, in that case, I wouldn’t worry too much about planning out ahead of time what levels to take when. Your goal is to explore multiclassing, so you should explore it freely, taking levels when they excite you instead of following a rigid build. Just keep in mind that 5th and 11th level are both major milestones in terms of expected damage output, and that ability score increases are also very valuable. So getting Extra Attack as quickly as you can and taking levels in batches to get to your ASIs are both good ideas.

 

[Greg Benage]

Unless encounters per day are too few, I'm probably not multiclassing. That said, I did play in a campaign where encounters per day were too few and I ended up barb 12/fighter 4.

 

[S'mon]

I have a barb-3 currently, been mulling this. I think I'll go Barb-5, then 2 levels of Fighter, then back to Barb. I'm assuming probably won't play much beyond about 12th or so. I can always take a 3rd level of Fighter later if I want to mess with Superiority Dice.

 

[Blue]

Barbarian 1-11 or Fighter 1-11.

Sorry, the campaigns I play in usually end by 11th if not earlier, and both classes get enough cool stuff in those mid levels it's hard to give up.

 

[jgsugden]

The only real pain point will be if you don't go 5 levels in one class before multiclassing. As long as you do that, you'll be in good shape. My suggestion: Figure out if you want to be more wild or more soldier - and use that to decide between starting fighter or barbarian. Then, let the story guide you as to when the PC goes more feral/civil and multiclasses.

I played a Barbarian for 5 levels, added 4 levels of Fighter, then went back to Barbarian to level 16. I have no regrets.

 

[Zardnaar]

Probably fighter 6 barb XYZ in that order.